Varsity Basketball- Southport vs Decatur Central

This was a very exciting game that was hard fought by both teams. Every player on this list showed why they're worthy of being recognized within this article.    Cordell continues his stellar play at the point guard position. Nothing has changed since I wrote him up back in the eighth grade. He's still a great floor leader who can run offenses with precision and efficiency. Cordell has the ability to make the right play, regardless of any negative circumstances the team could be in. He led his team in assists and play-making. The first time I watched him play, he was the leading scorer for his team. He's truly improved his skills as a facilitator. He prioritized scoring as an eighth grader. Cordell easily broke down defenders and attacked the basket. He often scored tough lay-ups and floaters down the lane. His jump-shot wasn't dropping Thursday evening but I've seen him shoot the ball with confidence and accuracy. Defensively, he was great at jumping pass lanes and generating steals. Most of his forced turnovers led to easy transition points for Southport. Cordell is a great young player who has a promising future.     He plays the center position more like a point forward. James handles the basketball, facilitates the offense and shows high play-making ability. He's an excellent post player who dominated smaller defenders with his scoring ability. I was thoroughly impressed with his ability to lead the fast-break and find players with accurate passes. James ran the court and scored numerous baskets in transition. One of those scores was a nasty two-handed slam in the first quarter. He showed off his athleticism in various ways Thursday evening. Whether it was snatching rebounds, breaking down players off the dribble or knocking down perimeter shots. James was always the focal point of the Southport offense. Defensively, he patrolled the paint and blocked multiple shots. Whenever opposing players attacked the basket, James was there to alter their shot attempt.     A good all around scorer who can make shots from everywhere on the court. Whether it's scoring in the paint, knocking down mid-range shots or extending his shooting range beyond the arc, Samuel proved to be a tough cover for the Decatur Central defense. He's a great rebounder who battled opposing players for every board he got his hands on. Some of his scores came by grabbing offensive rebounds and converting around the rim. Samuel is a great passer and play-maker. There were numerous occasions where he managed to find teammates with precise passing. He gave maximum effort on both ends of the court. Samuel is an important player who's vital to Southport's success as the season continues.     Devin is a gritty point guard who attacks the basket, knocks down jump-shots and involves his teammates offensively. He excelled at applying pressure to the Southport defense. He did this by staying in constant “attack mode” throughout the basketball game. Devin easily beat defenders to the basket and knocked down mid-range shots or floaters when he had the opportunity. He was great at drawing contact when he attacked the paint. This led to him calmly stepping to the foul-line and converting three-point plays. Whenever Decatur Central had an opportunity to make plays in transition, Devin was the catalyst. He either scored or threw assists to teammates who finished strong at the rim. On defense, he forced a couple of steals and excelled at playing the passing lanes. Devin is a great leader for the Hawks. The basketball program will be in good hands as he continues to up-lift everyone around him.     Makeil is a great all around player. Whether it's scoring, passing, rebounding or defending, he was always in the flow of the game. Makeil is an excellent ball handler who's capable of scoring from every level of the basketball court. In Thursday's game, I watched him attack the basket and knock down short perimeter jump-shots. He's a great three-point shooter. Makeil knocked down four of them by finding ways to get open. He was effective at using screens or freeing himself by using the dribble. Makeil showed toughness when he fought for rebounds in the paint. He was effective despite being smaller than the opposition. Defensively, he caused problems for his opponents by pressing them into turnovers. I believe Makeil will continue to prosper on the basketball court. With his continued growth and maturity, he could become a special player.     Nash was the best shooter on the court Thursday night. After watching him play, I quickly learned who the team depended on to make perimeter shots. Especially from beyond the three-point line. He started the game off by converting two consecutive threes and finishing the first half with 18 points. The majority of his damage was done from the perimeter. Nash also showed he's capable of beating defenders to the basket or battling for boards. Nash showed his prowess as a good rebounding guard. He battled Southport players on both ends of the court. Some of his rebounds led to second chance scoring opportunities for his teammate to score. Nash was great at finding ways to get open within the Southport offense. He is the type of player who can make four to six threes once he gets on a roll. In my opinion, Nash has a superpower that could take him far in the game of basketball. The ability to shoot from anywhere on the basketball court.

This was a very exciting game that was hard fought by both teams. Every player on this list showed why they're worthy of being recognized within this article.